1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains in general to the field of hand-operated tool support systems and in particular to the field of hand-operated air or electric power driven tools, either bench mounted or floor standing, which are used for assembly line manufacturing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Nasco Industries, Inc. is the originator of integrated air-tool support systems in the United States of America. Such tool support systems, in general, comprise a mounting to which a hand-operated tool is attached, its source of air or electric power, and a balancer for counteracting the weight of the tool. Generally, such tool support systems are provided with various degrees of motion so that maximum utilization of the tool may be effectuated. Such degrees of motion have generally included up-and-down, in-and-out, side-to-side, and pivotal-and-rotational tool motions. Such motions must, of course, be compatible with a counterbalancing arrangement whereby the weight of the tool is negated or counterbalanced during actual use of the tool by the operator.
The attainment of the above-described various degrees of motion has, in the past, been easily accomplished by an L-shaped support stand with the horizontal member being uppermost on the stand. The hand-operated power tool is merely suspended from the upper horizontal beam by a flexible cord or wire attached at one end to the tool and the other end to a counterbalancing apparatus which may comprise a variable force return spring or other like apparatus. Such tool supported systems have, in the past, been widely used very effectively. Eventually, it came to be realized that an operator using rotational power tools with or without such tool support systems constantly, throughout an eight-hour work day, developed an injury known as a carpal tunnel syndrome. This injury is caused by the operator having to counteract the torque developed by the air- or electrically-driven power tool. Accordingly, continued development of the prior art tool support systems began to include ergonomic aspects, whereby the torque developed by the power tool is absorbed by the tool support apparatus.
In order to overcome the carpal tunnel syndrome, tool support apparatus having the degrees of motion above-stated, and including a torque absorption arm which is attached at one end to the vertical member of the tool support apparatus and at its other end to the power tool. By rigidly clamping one end of the tool absorption arm to the power tool, the torque developed by the power tool is then absorbed by the torque absorption arm. This eliminated the need for the operator to resist with his hand, arm and body the torque developed by the power tool during its use.
While the torque absorption arms of the prior art effectively overcame the torque developed by the power tool, it tended to interfere with the various degrees of motion which are required of an adequate tool support stand. The prior art tool support stands, therefore, traded off the simplicity of achieving the various degrees of motion required with the elimination of the torque developed by the power tool. In general the prior art tool support stands have never completely or successfully provided for both the various degrees of motion and the torque absorption requirements with one single reaction arm. The prior art tool support stands have consisted of a trade off between the various degrees of motion and the torque absorption requirements.
Accordingly, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide a tool support stand for a power-driven tool, either electric or air, which incorporates all five various degrees of motion and the ergonomic considerations of absorbing the torque developed by the power tool during use.
Another object of the present invention is to provide tool support apparatus for a power-driven tool which provides the five degrees of motion with each of the degrees of motion being attained in an effortless fashion.
Another object of the present invention is to provide tool support apparatus which includes a torque absorption arm which effectively eliminates the torque reaction from the power tool without interfering with the five degrees of motion required by the power tool to effectively use the same.
In other prior art apparatus, both the movement requirements and the torque reaction requirements in a single tool support apparatus is obtained by utilizing upper and lower horizontal support arms. In this prior art the counterbalancing apparatus is attached to the lower horizontal arm which moves in and out as well as other motions. Therefore, the counterbalancing force can vary with the in-and-out motion in addition to the other motions.
Accordingly, another object of the present invention is to provide tool support apparatus which provides for in-and-out tool motion but does not vary the force of counterbalancing apparatus.
The above-stated objects as well as other objects which although not specifically stated, but are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention, are accomplished by the present invention and will become apparent from the hereinafter set forth Detailed Description of the Invention, Drawings, and the claims appended herewith.